


Initials in a Tree

by Stacysmash



Series: Robin Hood AU [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Robin Hood, Fluff, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Series, Prequel, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, characters as kids
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-30
Updated: 2018-01-04
Packaged: 2019-02-23 20:08:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 18,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13197627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stacysmash/pseuds/Stacysmash
Summary: *Prequel to "Kuroo Tetsurou and his Merry Band of Cats"Again, his head twisted around until suddenly he spotted a slim shadow slipping through the crowd of spectators. He hopped forward to get a better look, and sure enough there as a boy about the same age as him, though a little taller, lurking around the back of a man, inspecting the way his coin purse was attached to his belt.Daichi observed cautiously as the boy concentrated, his eyes focused underneath the waves of his filthy black hair. He slowly raised his hand, warming his fingers as they crept toward the belt.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is going to be a series of one shots cataloging the beginning of Kuroo and Daichi's relationship from my multi-chapter fic "Kuroo Tetsurou and his Merry Band of Cats", which is a Robin Hood AU. I recommend reading it first, but I think you could enjoy this regardless.

“Slow down, Master Daichi! It’s not dignified for a young man of your pedigree to run in a public place!” His governess seethed as she gripped her hand in the back of his coat, pulling him to a dead stop.

“But I want to see the festival!” He grunted as he tried to pull himself free from her clutches.

“We _will_ see the festival. But we will do so as befitting our position. Understood?”

With a heavy sigh he fell limp. After a moment of thinking about it he gave his head a little bob. “Ok, I’ll walk.”

She released his coat and together they walked through the town. Colorful streamers danced in the wind as if the cheerful music was being played just for them. Laughter rose and fell in waves as the people of the city swarmed around them, the thrill of the festival on everyone’s tongues. Daichi’s warm brown eyes glittered with excitement as his head whirled this way and that way.

“Do you still have your coin purse?” His governess asked as she smiled pleasantly about her. She may have been strict, but she enjoyed the festivities as much as Daichi did.

“Yes, ma’am! I’m saving it to buy one of Hongo-san’s knives!”

His governess gave out a little shriek. “Master Daichi, you’re too young for such things!”

He looked up at her confused. “But Uncle Wakatoshi said it was about time I had one.”

She gave an exasperated sigh. “ _He_ is not your guardian. And besides, in public you are to refer to him as Prince Wakatoshi. Now, how about a yummy treat from one of the stalls instead?”

“Oh look! Those two knights are sparring! Can we watch, please?”

His governess looked a little queasy at the thought, but when she saw his face looking up at her with his eyes large and glistening, her heart swelled. “Fine, but if there’s any blood drawn we’re walking away _immediately_.”

“Yes!!” He cheered as he bolted toward the ring. There was a large crowd, but some of the men chuckled when they saw Daichi leaping as high as he could to see over their shoulders.

“You can come in, Master Daichi, we’ll give you a spot,” One said gently as they parted for him to slip through.

“Thank you!” He said brightly as he weaved his way through. The fence post was positioned right in front of his face. He twerked his mouth to the side in irritation as he glared at it. He rolled the sleeves of his coat up a bit and hopped up, so his feet were on the lower post and his arms wrapped around the top. From there he could see all the action, and his face beamed as he watched every clash of the swords. It wasn’t only for entertainment Daichi wanted to watch. He wanted to be a knight one day, so he could protect the King. Observing the techniques of the fighters would be a sure way to improve himself.

“Master Daichi!” His governess called from behind the crowd. He turned slightly and saw her head bobbing above a set of shoulders. “I’ll be at the next stall. Don’t wander off!”

“Ok!”

He turned back just as the Shiratorizawa Knight side stepped beautifully, moving his body as fluidly as an eagle in flight. The Johzenji Knight he was sparring with did not react soon enough and his sword jabbed into nothing but air. With that, the other knight dropped his sword against the other, forcing it out of his hand and clattering to the ground.

Daichi cheered with the crowd as the Shiratorizawa Knight waved to the crowd and gave a polite bow to his adversary. Daichi’s eyes circled the ring until he spotted the next two knights about to enter. He blinked when he saw a knight from Dateko who looked as tall as a mountain, and a face so frightening it sent chills up his spine. The knight entering with him looked like a little mouse in comparison. He had just placed a helmet over his wavy black hair that matched the silhouette of a crow etched across his chest.

Daichi’s arms tightened more around the fence post, eager to see how quickly the crow knight would be defeated. There were snickers across the crowd, and it seemed he was not the only one who had little faith in the smaller man. The call to begin rang out, and the fight began. The giant Dateko Knight lifted his broadsword and swung it down onto the little knight. He did not block it, but simply leapt to the side with ease. Daichi’s eyes zeroed onto the knight’s feet as he stepped lightly around his huge opponent. He could hardly believe the agility he possessed, and he gasped when the little knight jumped with his sword high above his head. Even for being so short, he soared above the Dateko Knight’s head. The taller knight swung his sword up to block, but it was not quick enough. The crow knight’s sword came down at the perfect angle, shoving the large sword to the ground. Once he had landed lightly on his feet, he swung the sword around in a whirl, stopping just in front of the Dateko Knight’s throat. The giant knight stared at the glinting blade and gulped. The entire audience had been stunned into silence, and all at once they roared with cheers. Daichi’s mouth hung open, still disbelieving the physical prowess of the small knight. He was so transfixed it took him a minute to register his belt shifting slightly.  

He jerked his head down to see his coin purse was missing. He leapt off the fence post and looked around on the ground, but it was nowhere to be seen. His heart raced as he glanced around at the crowd surrounding him, but everyone else was still watching the show. Daichi launched himself in between the two men behind him and began searching through the crowd. He didn’t know who he was looking for, but he was frantic to find any clue of his missing purse. With one last shove he burst out of the crowd and into the village square, nearly falling over onto the streamer littered cobblestones. Again, his head twisted around until suddenly he spotted a slim shadow slipping through the crowd of spectators. He hopped forward to get a better look, and sure enough there as a boy about the same age as him, though a little taller, lurking around the back of a man, inspecting the way his coin purse was attached to his belt.

Daichi observed cautiously as the boy concentrated, his eyes focused underneath the waves of his filthy black hair. He slowly raised his hand, warming his fingers as they crept toward the belt. That left little doubt that this was the person who stole his purse, and Daichi clenched his jaw and pointed at the young boy.

“You, stop!!”

The boy flinched and whirled his head to stare at Daichi with his eyes wide. The man in front of him turned to see what was going on, and the messy haired boy didn’t hesitate. He took off running across the market, weaving in and out of people as he fled. Daichi charged after him without a second thought. The taller boy seemed light on his feet, and used to that type of running, but Daichi wouldn’t let him get away with it. Even from a young age he had a strong sense of justice, and thieves deserved their punishment.

His legs burned as he charged and pivoted, following the boy through the narrow paths of market stalls. Yelps from the villagers rang out as they leapt back in surprise, their arms clamoring to contain their purchases. Daichi tried to keep his eyes on the thief, but he was having a difficult time not crashing into anyone in the thick throng of people. Up ahead he spotted the thief run past the last stall and out of sight.

Daichi followed only a few steps behind but stopped as soon as he past the stall. He found himself in a long back alley that was completely devoid of people and most importantly the thief. He swiveled his head to the left and right and saw no sight of the boy. Disappointment seeped into his bones as he forced the air in and out of his tender lungs. He licked his lips as he continued looking back and forth. He had never been to this area, but he had a good sense of direction. If he turned right it would circle back to the beginning of the market closer to the castle. To the left was the back of the town stables where they would be auctioning off livestock for the festival. If the boy wanted to continue stealing, he would go back to the market. However, everyone would have been stirred up from Daichi alerting them to the thief, so that would not be the best place for the messy haired boy to be.

With a nod he turned left, marching his feet forward with his face set with resolve. He poked his head around the stable and looked around. The auction was not set to begin until later that afternoon, so the only people around were a few stable hands and the livestock munching on some grass. Daichi crept forward a few steps when he froze. Meandering through the sheep pen was the young thief. He wasn’t running anymore, clearly thinking he had lost his pursuer. Daichi narrowed his eyes and moved forward slowly, ducking carefully between the horizontal fence posts. His feet squelched into the mud, and he grimaced as he inspected his shoes. With a shrug he continued forward cautiously; he would try to wipe his shoes later before his governess could get her hands on him.

He kept his body low as he weaved between the round, wooly sheep, who paid him no mind except with an occasional snort or _baa_ of indignation. His heart slammed in his chest as he got closer. With alarm he realized the boy was nearly to the edge of the fence. He had to hurry, so he began to run full out, his feet slinging mud into the air behind him. With all thoughts of stealth shoved out of his mind, he began to yell as he forced his muscles forward, and the tall boy stopped and turned. At the last minute Daichi saw his eyes look as large as two full moons before he plowed straight into him, shoving him straight into the mud.

The boy lay stunned, blinking as he stared up into the air. Before he had a chance to refocus, Daichi expertly pinned him down, remembering a few lessons in hand to hand combat he had already been taught, though he was only ten. The boy finally jerked his head up from the mud, his eyes quickly taking in the situation and began squirming under Daichi’s hands.

“Let me go!” He shouted in Daichi’s face, but flinched when Daichi gave him a stern glare.

“No. You stole my money, and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one. A thief must pay for his crimes.”

The thief scrunched up his face in anger. “What do _you_ know about it, prissy boy? It must be so easy having delicious food just shoved in your mouth for you.”

“What? Nobody shoves food in my mouth.”

“But I bet you’ve never been hungry.”

“I…” Daichi had no retort. He glanced down as he observed the boy underneath him. His skin was taught over his bones, beneath the dirt he could see that he was not healthy. Daichi panicked, his mind whirling to all the lessons he had been taught, and most only pointed to the fact that crimes should be punished, and good behavior rewarded. Nothing was ever said about stealing to survive. He glanced back up to the thief’s face, his chin jutting out with mock confidence, though Daichi could tell he was nervous.

Daichi leaned back to allow the boy to sit up, but he did not leave the boy’s lap to keep him stuck. “What about your parents, don’t they work?”

The boy sat up and leaned back on his forearms, continuing to glare at Daichi. “My parents are dead, or gone. I never really knew them.”

Sympathy flooded Daichi. He may not have been poor or hungry, but he knew what it was like to lose his parents. He had lost his own a few years before, and it still haunted him every morning when he woke up and had to remember they were no longer waiting for him at the breakfast table.

“I’m sorry, my parents are dead too, but I had other family to take me in.” Before the thief could answer Daichi lifted himself up to his feet. “I’m sorry I misjudged you, but you still shouldn’t steal.”

“Tch. What do you expect me to do, beg?”

Daichi cocked his head down at the boy. “What’s wrong with that?”

The boy rolled his eyes and cross his arms in front of him. “I have my pride, you know.”

Daichi couldn’t help but give him an amused smile. “You’re...a thief.”

“Hmph, so? I get money through my own abilities, not just by sitting on my ass all day waiting for people to take pity on me.”

“Hmm,” Was all Daichi replied as he thought about the situation. At last he held his hand out with his palm up. “Please give me back my coin purse.”

With a mixture of a groan and a growl, the thief slipped his hands in the sack by his side and rummaged around. He located Daichi’s purse and shoved it into Daichi’s hand.

“There, happy?”

“Wait here.”

“Huh?”

“Wait here… I’ll be right back.”

Without another word, Daichi trotted off toward the town. Before he arrived at the market, he tried to take a moment to wipe off the majority of the mud. It didn’t take long since had fallen on top of the thief, so there was only a bit on his sleeves and pants. He rolled the sleeves up and slipped his hands into a trough of water, so no one would be the wiser. Luckily, the stalls he was searching for were nearby, and within minutes he had purchased everything he needed. He was about to leave the market when he spotted Hongo-san’s stall, littered with gleaming weaponry and expertly crafted bows. An idea popped into his head, and he charged forward.

“Hongo-san?” He called, and the old man popped his head above the counter.

“Ah, Master Daichi, looking for your first knife? Prince Wakatoshi said he’d be sending you my way soon.”

“Oh, not today. I was wondering if you had a bow for a boy about my age? Probably nothing too expensive, I already spent some of my money.”

“A boy your age, huh? It’s not for yourself?”

“No, it’s a gift. He is taller than me though.”

“Hmm, I might have something around here.” With a lot of racket and rummaging around, Hongo-san reappeared with a bow and matching quiver of arrows. “For you, Master Daichi, that’ll be fifteen gold coins.”

“Thank you, Hongo-san!” He cheered happily as he finagled his other purchases and fished out the money.

With renewed vigor he ran back toward the paddocks. At first a surge of fear struck through him when he saw no one around except for the sheep and wandering stable hands. Then he heard a funny sounding whistle and turned. Leaning up against the barn was the boy, using a stick to pry some of the mud off his decrepit shoes. He watched Daichi as he approached, all his previous anger faded away and replaced with an insatiable curiosity. Daichi set the bags down and opened one. The steaming aroma of a freshly cooked chicken rose up out of the sack, and the thief’s mouth watered instantly.

“Is that...chicken?”

“Yup, have it,” Daichi replied with a smile as he handed it to him. The thief’s eyes flickered back and forth from Daichi’s face to the chicken. His stomach growled loudly, and Daichi snickered. “ _Take it_ , I’ve got more too.”

With a gulp the thief reached out and snatched the sack. As he ravenously inhaled a chicken leg, Daichi set down the other sacks. He pulled out a loaf of bread and several fresh vegetables, wanting to provide the boy with the best he could find. When it was all set out, Daichi reached for a flask clipped to his belt and held it out toward the other boy. He paused his eating and stared at it, wiping his face on a cleaner part of his sleeve.

“What’s that?”

“Just some juice. I’m not allowed ale yet.”.

The boy slowly took it from him, setting the leg down on the open sack. He twisted it open and took a tentative sip. Daichi watched with amusement as the boy’s eyes widened, and he jerked his head back to take some bigger gulps.

“Easy! You’ll want it to last til you’re done!” Daichi laughed.

The thief did as he suggested, replacing the cap and licking his lips happily. “That was delicious. I’ve never tasted anything like that.”

“Well, go ahead, I brought these other things for you to eat.”

The thief looked down at the bread and vegetables, suddenly biting his lip as his eyebrows furrowed down.

“Is this all for me?”

“Of course, I actually ate before I left for the festival, so I’m not hungry. Is something wrong?”

“No, it’s just...would you mind if I took most of it home with me?”

Daichi cocked his head as he observed the boy. “Why would you do that? Aren’t you hungry now?”

“I have a few friends that are waiting for me. All the money we get we share it.”

“Oh...there’s more of you?”

The thief gave a little laugh, though there was no happiness in it. “Yeah, there are more of us. We all lost our parents, so we all look out for each other.”

“I see, I would have got more if I knew you were gonna share it.”

The thief looked up at him in shock. “What do you mean? This is enough for a whole bunch of people!”

“Not really, this is what I’m usually given.”

“Oh, no wonder you’re so chubby.”

Daichi glared at the lanky boy, whose lips began to curl into a smirk. “I’m not chubby! I’m...husky.”

The thief snorted and began to laugh. It was a terrible sound, like the braying of a donkey, and it only made Daichi feel worse as he glanced down at his own stomach.

“Anyways, go ahead and take it,” Daichi said grumpily as he turned his head away. Still snickering, the thief began to bag up the food when his eyes fell on the bow and arrow.

“What’s that?”

Daichi blinked as he turned to where the thief was pointing. “Oh, that’s for you too. There’s plenty of meat in the forest if you can hunt for it, so I bought you this, so you wouldn’t have to steal.”

“The _forest_?! But there’s wolves and other snarling creatures out there, it’s dangerous!”

Daichi laughed, “It’s not that bad! There are ways of protecting yourself, you know. I could teach you how to shoot and how to get around without getting lost.”

The thief pursed his lips as he eyed the bow cautiously. He looked back up at Daichi, still not sure what to make of him. “You’re gonna teach me? Don’t you need to go home?”

Daichi shrugged, “I can come back. We can meet somewhere tomorrow, and I can teach you. I’ll also bring some extra food with me, so you can bring your friends.”

The boy’s mouth dropped open. “Why would you do that? I don’t accept charity, you know. I’m no beggar.”

“I didn’t say you were. This isn’t charity, it’s a gift.”

“I stole your coin purse! Why would you give me anything?”

“Because it isn’t fair! I have people to look out for me, and you have no one. Why shouldn’t I give you some of what I have?”

The boy looked taken aback by Daichi’s words, tears glistening in his eyes as he pursed his lips. As he wiped his face on his sleeve, leaving a faint streak of dirt across his nose, he sniffed, “Where would you want to meet? And when?”

Daichi smiled as he stood up. He held his hand out and waited for the boy to take it. The boy stared at the hand like it was gonna bite him, but after soaking in the warmth of Daichi’s trusting smile, he accepted it. With ease Daichi lifted him to his feet, the boy yelping out of surprise at Daichi’s strength.

“Can you get to the East Gate? There’s hardly any guards there, and the bars are wide. You should be able to slip right through into the forest.” The boy nodded as he gathered up his bags. He eyed the bow and quiver still resting on the ground. Daichi followed his line of sight and looked back at him. “Would you like me to take this for tonight? Then bring it back tomorrow when I teach you how to use it?”

“Yeah, I think I’d feel better about that.”

“Okay, deal. Meet you at the forest entrance past the East Gate, maybe mid-morning?”

The thief nodded, his messy black hair flopping up and down. Daichi snorted at a leaf that was wrapped up in the thick locks, and instinctively reached his hand up. He threaded the leaf out, taking some mud along with it and ran his hands through the thief’s hair affectionately. He glanced down and locked eyes with the other boy, who stared back at him in shock with twinges of pink spreading across his cheeks.

“Oh, sorry, you had a leaf in your hair. By the way, what’s your name?”

“Kuroo Tetsurou.”

“Hmm, that suits you,” Daichi replied with a smile. “I’m Sawamura Daichi.”

“Sawamura, huh?” Kuroo paused for a moment as the wheels turned in his head. “Where have I heard that name before?”

“Oh, my mother was the King’s daughter. I’m Master Daichi.”

Kuroo gasped, suddenly terrified. “You’re the King’s _grandson_?! Are they gonna arrest me? I didn’t know it was your coin purse when I took it, I swear!”

He finally stopped when Daichi bent over in laughter. “I’m not gonna arrest you! I just gave you food and a bow, why would I send the guards after you?”

“Oh...that’s true.”

“Kuroo,” Daichi said softly, placing his hand on Kuroo’s shoulder. “You’re gonna be okay. Your friends are gonna be okay, I’ll make sure of it. Now, I have to get back. If I don’t make it tomorrow it’s because my governess locked me in my room, but I’ll do my best. If I can’t tomorrow, I’ll come the next day or the day after that. I promise!”

Kuroo had suffered a lot in his ten years of life. Through looks of disgust by the villagers, and an occasional kick from a mean-spirited guard, there were only few people who had ever earned his trust. However, in that moment with this strange boy he had just met, he had no doubt he was telling the truth.

“Okay, we’ll wait for you. I promise.”

With a wide grin Daichi gave him one last pat on the shoulder and ran off toward the marketplace with the bow and quiver in his hands. Kuroo watched him leave, his mood slightly plummeting at the increasing distance between him and his new friend. To his surprise he enjoyed Daichi’s company, and was intrigued by his strong sense of compassion. With a sigh he turned and walked back to the alley, searching out the temporary shack he shared with Kai, Kenma and Yaku.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Yaku run!”  
> He whirled around and began to run, but instantly tripped over a root and fell face first onto the ground. He lifted his face and spit out a few blades of grass when he flinched, goosebumps prickling up from his ankles as he heard snuffling and a searing hot puff of breath against his ankles.

“Is it even safe to be out here?” Kai asked, looking cautiously around a tree to peer at the East Gate.

“Sure, it’s safe, he told us to meet him here,” Kuroo explained with cool confidence as he lounged back against a moss covered log.

Yaku huffed about the clearing, his head jerking from side to side at the slightest noise in the forest. “Who is this kid? How can you trust him when you just met him?! Kenma, why did you let him talk us into this? Huh...where’s Kenma?”

Kuroo shrugged, “He hid as soon as we got here. You know he doesn’t like new people.”

“Then why did he come?”

“Didn’t wanna be alone I guess?”

“Kenma! Where are you, I wanna hide with you.”

There was silence for a moment, then a small voice from a higher branch murmured down, “Find your own hiding spot.”

Yaku was about to argue when a sharp howl cut through the air. All three of them on the ground jumped in terror, looking around for a place to hide.

“I thought you said there wouldn’t be any wolves?!”

“Don’t argue, here, I’ll give you a leg up!”

“I don’t need your help!”

“Fine, good luck, Yaku!”

Both Kai and and Kuroo hopped up on a couple branches, while Yaku froze, his heart pounding in his chest as he instantly regretted his pride. He looked up and glanced at Kuroo, who was squinting at something just beyond the trees, and suddenly his eyes widened.

“Yaku run!”

He whirled around and began to run, but instantly tripped over a root and fell face first onto the ground. He lifted his face and spit out a few blades of grass when he flinched, goosebumps prickling up from his ankles as he heard snuffling and a searing hot puff of breath against his ankles. With a whimper he craned his head around slowly, meeting face to face with a giant, growling dog. Yaku’s mouth hung open as he stared death in the face. He felt like his heart was about to climb out of his throat and run away, leaving the rest of his body to fend for itself.

A frightened whine squeaked out of him just as he heard a voice call out, “Roar Roar! Down, boy.  He’s a friend!”

At once the growling stopped and his face was enveloped by a hot, pink tongue that seemed to stretch for miles.

“Sawamura!” Kuroo called happily as he hopped down from his tree, completely forgetting about his friend being accosted by slobber on the ground. “It took you forever, where’ve you been?”

Daichi trotted into the clearing wearing his hunting gear, a sack and Kuroo’s bow and arrow, his smile wide and excited. “Hi Kuroo, I’m sorry, I had to lose my governess. She was furious when I ran off on her yesterday, so I wasn’t sure I’d shake her off this time.” Daichi clicked his tongue when he looked over at his bloodhound. He stomped over and hooked his hand around the leather collar and gave it a yank.

With a huff the dog relented, and shoved his head against his master’s leg, rubbing it a little and leaving a streak of slobber with it. Yaku continued to lay there, sputtering and wiping his face off on his sleeve.

“What is that thing? Is it a wolf?”

Daichi giggled, “No, it’s my dog. He’s a bloodhound.”

“He’s a monster!”

Daichi cocked his head down at Yaku, the smile faded from his face. “I’m sorry if he scared you. He’s not really dangerous, just protective of me. Here.” He held his hand out to Yaku, who blinked up at Daichi’s face, and then back down at the hand, and then back up at Daichi. Biting his lip to hold back a smile, Daichi waited patiently until finally Yaku decided his hand was trustworthy enough and accepted it. He pulled him to his feet and they had a look at each other. Kuroo stepped beside them and ruffled Yaku’s auburn hair. “This is Yaku Morisuke, and behind you is Kai Nobuyuki.” Daichi gave a nod to Yaku and turned around. Leaning against a tree was a boy slightly shorter than Kuroo, but his he looked infinitely cleaner cut and without much filth. They exchanged a smile and a friendly nod, and Kuroo continued. “And somewhere around here is Kozume Kenma, but you probably won’t see him. He’s shy around strangers, and definitely doesn’t like dogs. Sorry about that.”

Daichi gave a glance around the trees, but didn’t bother searching very hard as he smiled at Kuroo. “That’s okay, I can understand being shy. He doesn’t have to come out.”

Kuroo looked a little lost for a moment, an affectionate smile growing on his lips as he gazed into Daichi’s honest brown eyes. He finally flinched when Yaku gave an indignant cough.

“So, what are we here for anyways? Kuroo said you’re gonna teach us some things?”

Daichi nodded as he held out the bow and arrow. “I thought I’d teach you how to use this. You can use it to hunt, and to protect yourselves in the woods. I can also point out which berries are safe to eat, and how to set traps for quicker animals, like rabbits!”

Yaku’s frown faded as his bright brown eyes widened. “ _Rabbits_? You can catch rabbits?!” He gave a sad little sigh as his eyes fell to the ground. “My mom used to make the best rabbit stew.”

Daichi’s eyebrows knitted together, feeling a surge of compassion for the shorter boy. “Well, I can’t guarantee it would taste the same, but I can make a version of rabbit stew. My uncle taught me how.”

Yaku’s eyes brightened as he looked back up at Daichi with hope. “Really?!”

“When you say _uncle_...do you mean Prince Wakatoshi?” Kuroo asked curiously, and Daichi gave him a vigorous nod.

“Of course! He taught me everything to do with surviving in the woods, he loves it, and so do I. Here, that tree would be perfect for target practice, it has notches already in it that we can aim for.”

He had them watch as he demonstrated, nocking the arrow with finesse and releasing it straight into the center notch. Their jaws dropped open in surprise and they gave him a scattered round of applause as he gave a messy bow. Then Daichi lined each of them up with their sides parallel to the tree, checking their positions and making little adjustments so they could get used to the correct way to stand.

“Here, Kuroo, you try it first,” He said as he handed him the bow and bent over to slip an arrow from the quiver. Kuroo inspected the curved wood cautiously, wondering if he’d ever be able to do it like Daichi had. Daichi noticed he looked a little nervous and awkward, so he reached his hand out and placed it over Kuroo’s. Kuroo froze at the touch and felt his cheeks grow warm when Daichi stepped closer.

“Here, I’ll help you,” Daichi said in a soothing tone, and directed his hand gripping the bow level with his chest. He assisted Kuroo further in placing the arrow at the correct position along the bow and string, and Kuroo tried to focus and ignore the flutter of his racing heart. He nearly groaned in despair when Daichi placed his warm hand on his stomach.

“Don’t be nervous, hardly anyone gets it right at first. Just breathe deeply. There you go, in...and out...now line it up and--” Daichi jerked his head around gave a yelp. “Roar Roar! Get out of there, that food isn’t for you!” He released Kuroo and ran over across the clearing to run his dog off, and Kuroo gave a heavy sigh of relief. He heard a couple of snickers nearby, and looked up to see Yaku and Kai covering their mouths as they tried not to laugh.

“What’s so funny?” He muttered grumpily.

“Is it too warm out here, Kuroo? Your cheeks look a little flushed,” Kai teased.

Yaku sighed dramatically, “Could it be, Kai? You think it’s love?”

“Oh yes, definitely love.”

“Hey, cut it out you guys, it’s not that!” Kuroo shouted, but then flinched when Daichi returned, looking curiously around at the three.

“Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, everything’s fine...they’re just making fun of me.”

“Oh, nothing wrong with that.”

“I thought you were on my side!”

Daichi snorted and shook his head. “Go ahead and try it on your own.”

Kuroo pouted as the other two continued giggling to themselves. He settled into the stance Daichi taught him, careful to get it right so the other boy wouldn’t feel the need to help him anymore. As he raised the bow to be level with his chest and steady the arrow against it, he closed his eyes and breathed deeply, slowing his heart rate down considerably. As he opened them, he focused on just the center notch on the tree. He held his breath and released the arrow, and it sailed through the air and landed straight into the ground in front of the tree. Kuroo sagged in disappointment as Kai and Yaku burst out laughing. When he glanced up at Daichi, however, his face was shining with pride.

“That was great!”

“Huh? It went into the ground!”

“Yes, but it’s lined up with the tree! That means your aim is good, you just need more power! Try again, but this time pull back more on the string, but make sure you keep it steady.”

Over and over Kuroo tried, until finally he could at least hit the trunk of the tree. Daichi decided to give him a break and let the others try, and Kuroo was relieved to give his trembling arms and raw fingers a rest. For the next couple hours, Daichi concentrated on teaching them the basics of archery, and a few tips on actual hunting. After a while, he noticed some growling from each of their stomachs, and decided they should rest and eat some of the food he brought with him. He settled down in front of his sack and spread out a blanket for them to sit on. He emptied the sack of the rest of its contents, which included the most delicious looking foods they had ever seen.

“You mean we can eat some of this?!” Yaku cried, his mouth beginning to water.

“Of course!” Daichi laughed as he threw him a crisp apple. “We can eat it all! Oh, Kuroo, what about Kenma? He’s probably hungry too.”

“Ah, you’re right.” Kuroo gathered up a few items into his arms and awkwardly lifted himself to his feet. He walked across the clearing to a certain tree with thick lush leaves. He gripped onto an apple and lifted it up, and Daichi watched in astonishment as a small hand appeared and grabbed it.

“I didn’t even see him up there,” Daichi commented as he watched Kuroo hand him the rest of the food one by one.

“Mmm, neither could we. Those two are super close, best friends. They always know where the other one is...it’s weird.”

“Oh…” Daichi replied as he tore off a piece of bread. A strange feeling swirled around in his gut, and he wondered what it was. It was almost as if he was sad Kuroo already had a best friend, though there was no reason he should feel that way. Kuroo had even mentioned having a few friends right after meeting him. He forced the feeling away and continued to eat quietly, glancing up as Kuroo rejoined them and grabbed a small loaf for himself. Together they ate and chatted happily, and Daichi was able to perk back up with a full stomach and pleasant company. Even Roar Roar had joined them and sniffed each of their necks as he begged for affection and a hand out.

After every bit of food had been eaten, Daichi turned to glance over his shoulder where he could just make out the gate. He sighed and lifted himself to his feet, giving a stretch once he was standing.

“I should be getting back. My governess has a nasty looking switch that she said she won’t hesitate to use on my behind,” He said as he grimaced at the thought.

“Good luck with that, Sawamura,” Kuroo teased with a smirk, and then flinched when Roar Roar began nibbling at his shirt. “Hey! I’ve got enough holes in this thing!” The rest of them laughed as they knelt and said their affectionate goodbyes to the drooling bloodhound.

Daichi watched with an amused smile when he felt a tickling feeling on the top of his head. He glanced up to see a young boy staring down at him apprehensively from the branch above. He was small and slender, with large amber eyes that glowed between silky locks of ink black hair.

“Are you Kenma?” Daichi whispered, not wanting to spook him away. Kenma pursed his lips and gave a little nod, his hair swinging back and forth. _Cute,_ Daichi thought. He was like a timid little kitten, and Daichi felt a desire to protect the little guy surge through him.

“Did you get enough to eat?” He asked.

“Yes...thank you,” He answered quietly, his face retreating into his shoulders shyly. Behind him Daichi heard some whispering, and he glanced over to see the trio observing with wide eyes. When he looked back up into the tree, Kenma had disappeared.

“Ah, he does that,” Kuroo said with a grin as he handed Daichi his sack. He held out his bow and quiver as well, but Daichi just looked back at him.

“Don’t you think you should keep it? It’s yours, I bought it for you.”

“I know you did...it’s really nice, probably too nice for me. I just feel funny about taking it.”

Daichi stepped forward, his face serious as he locked eyes with Kuroo.

“It’s not charity. This bow and these arrows are a gift to you. Friends give each other things, and not because they expect anything in return. Keep it… please.”

Kuroo was overwhelmed by Daichi’s honest generosity. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced, even with the friendships he already had. For once he had no words, so he simply gulped and nodded his head, bringing the bow and quiver back closer to his body. Daichi’s smile spread across his face, and Kuroo’s stomach gripped as he wondered if that was what angels really looked like.

With a firm pat against Kuroo’s arm, Daichi waved goodbye to his new friends and called for Roar Roar to follow. Kuroo watched him leave, his whole body hunching slightly as he drew further away. He heard more snickering, and with a groan he turned to see Kai, Yaku _and_ Kenma grinning at him.

“What?!”

Yaku’s grin spread wider as he leered toward him. “Do you _like_ him Kuroo?”

“He’s definitely got a crush,” Kai murmured down to him.

“What? No, I just respect him, that’s all!”

“Uh huh, sure.”

Kuroo growled as he slipped the quiver over his shoulder and gripped the bow tighter. “Come on, we should settle in for the night. It’s getting late.”

He stomped forward toward the gate, leaving the others in the dust. He hadn’t walked far however when a slender shadow appeared next to him as silent as a wisp of air. He glanced down at Kenma, who stared ahead with his lips pursed. _He must be thinking about something_ , Kuroo thought, and was about to leave him to his thoughts when he heard Kenma inhale sharply like he was about to say something.

“He...he’s a good one, Kuroo.”

A smile erupted on Kuroo’s face like the sun bursting from the horizon in the early hours of the morning and as Kenma glanced up at him, he smiled as well. “Is he? Good… I was hoping you’d say that.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI I was originally planning this to be like 3 chapters? I've got like at least 6 planned....I'm hopeless.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daichi winced as he turned to the page he let off on. He liked history, but reading dates and events from pages left it a little dry. He had read several pages when all the words had begun to blur together, and his head began to nod in the warmth of the afternoon.  
> “Psst!”  
> Daichi jerked with a gasp at the sound, and rubbed his face from excess sleepiness.  
> “Psst...Sawamura!”  
> Daichi glanced up and spotted Kuroo nestled between the bars of the gate with a mischievous grin on his face.

The days passed by lazily as Daichi continued to meet his new friends outside of the East Gate. He could not remember being so happy, and the others couldn’t remember being so well fed. Their skills in archery and trapping were steadily improving, as well as their comfort within the peace of the forest. They even worked on setting up a makeshift fort to sleep in, and found themselves more at home there than in their rundown shack within the City.

It was several months later that with the death of his grandfather the King life within the castle walls grew a little hectic for Daichi. The coronation of Wakatoshi was a spectacular event, just what the Kingdom needed to lift their spirits in the wake of his father’s death, and even though Daichi was not yet eleven, his own education and duties grew rather heavy. It had been two weeks since he had last seen Kuroo, and his melancholy settled on him like a wavering cloud of dust. His governess picked up on his uncharacteristic sadness, and suggested he take his studies to the garden for a change of atmosphere.

With a weighted sack filled with his books, and a smaller one in his hand with a snack, he trudged through the castle and walked out into the garden. He blinked in the intense rays of sunlight and gingerly found his way down the steps. Under the shaded branches his eyes found reprieve, and inhaled deeply as the fragrance of the fresh greenery entered his lungs. It perked him up slightly, but even the beauty of nature could not soothe his lonely heart.

With a shake of his head he trudged forward; he couldn’t waste time feeling sorry for himself. He wandered about until he found the tall strong oak settled just beside the garden’s own access gate to the forest. It made him happy being so close to the forest where he meets his friends, and he was always fond of the immense tree. He plopped himself down against the trunk facing the wall, and looking around he saw that he had complete privacy, and the feeling was peaceful.

With a grunt he set his first book on his lap; The History of Kings. Daichi winced as he turned to the page he let off on. He liked history, but reading dates and events from pages left it a little dry. He had read several pages when all the words had begun to blur together, and his head began to nod in the warmth of the afternoon.

“Psst!”

Daichi jerked with a gasp at the sound, and rubbed his face from excess sleepiness.

“Psst...Sawamura!”

Daichi glanced up and spotted Kuroo nestled between the bars of the gate with a mischievous grin on his face.

“Kuroo!” Daichi whispered excitedly as he lurched forward, his heavy book flopping to the ground. He crept forward and grasped onto the bars, glancing around to make sure there was no one around. “What are you doing here?”

“I was making sure you weren’t kidnapped or locked in the dungeons! Where have you been?”

“I’m sorry, things have been hectic since my grandfather died.”

“Yeah...I’m sorry about that,” Kuroo said, the grin falling off his face.

Daichi smiled and reached up to fluff his hair, scattering a few sticks and leaves. “It’s okay. I’m sad he’s gone, but things have been so busy I’ve hardly had time to reflect on it. I’m glad you’re here, I missed you.”

Kuroo’s eyes widened, and then he looked away a little sheepishly. “You did? I missed you too. What were you doing anyways?”

“Oh, I was studying about our past kings. It’s interesting, but it’s kind of boring reading about it.”

“Why don’t you read it out loud to me? I don’t know any history.”

Daichi stared at him as he thought about it. “Yeah! I mean...if you don’t mind. I don’t wanna bore you.”

“You couldn’t!” Kuroo said with a grin as he snuck his body through the bars. Daichi held his arm out to help him regain his balance. Even when he was firm on his feet, Daichi didn’t let go and instead pulled him over to the trunk of the oak to hide them from anyone else who might be wandering in the garden. With both their backs against the rough bark, Daichi yanked the massive book and pulled it onto their laps. Kuroo looked horrified as he inspected it.

“This is huge! You’re expected to read all of this?”

“Yeah...and this is just the book about kings. Should I start from the beginning?”

Kuroo snorted and shook his head quickly. “No way...start from where you fell asleep.”

“Okay, so about eight hundred years ago Shiratorizawa was ruled by the Great Sea King of the Mist.”

“That’s a mouthful.”

“His name was Miyazaki Akihiko.”

“That’s...better.”

Daichi laughed and continued his tale. Recounting the history to Kuroo with excitement in his voice and dramatic gestures as he acted out events made learning immensely more fun. He felt like it would be easier to recall it from memory as well. He accomplished half the book when he fell back onto the ground next to Kuroo with an exhausted sigh.

“I need a break.”

Kuroo laughed and ruffled his hair, something he had never done to Daichi before, often being the other way around. Daichi liked the feeling of his hand on his head and leaned into it slightly. “You tired?” Kuroo said softly, slowing his hand down but not yet removing it.

“A little...more hungry than anything.”

“Don’t you have something to eat? You _always_ have something to eat.”

Daichi laughed and grabbed his sack, pulling out a cluster of grapes. He shoved the book away and was about to pop a grape in his mouth when Kuroo leaned forward and fell onto his side facing Daichi, his head resting on Daichi’s thigh. Kuroo’s golden eyes met his as he sat frozen for a moment, his mouth open and a grape sitting right in front of it.

Kuroo’s smirk grew a little wider as he said, “Aren’t you going to give me one?”

Daichi gulped as he pulled the grape further from his face. “Of-of course! Don’t I always feed you? Here…” He held the grape out for Kuroo to take, but instead of reaching his hand up, Kuroo opened his mouth expectantly. Suddenly all the gentle noises of the garden were muted. The only sound Daichi could hear was his hammering heartbeat as he tentatively brought the grape toward Kuroo’s lips. He felt the grape stop as it touched his lips, and without warning Kuroo snagged the entire grape in his teeth. Daichi pulled his fingers back with a yelp, and Kuroo burst out into muffled laughter as he tried to eat the grape without choking. As Daichi glared down at him, Kuroo offered him another sneaky grin.

“Did you think I was gonna bite you?”

“It was a possibility,” He replied grumpily as he broke off another grape and popped it into his mouth. When he had finished chewing it, he swallowed and asked, “Are you comfortable like that?”

Kuroo’s eyebrows rose up. “You mean laying on your leg? Of course, it’s like a pillow,” He teased as he poked his skin with his finger. Daichi squirmed as he tried to dislodge the head from his lap, but Kuroo only giggled and kept his head firmly where it was.

“Well, it’s better than having chicken legs,” Daichi said as he plucked another grape and popped it into his mouth.

“What do you mean? Who’s got chicken legs?!”

This time a smirk spread on Daichi’s face as he merely glanced over at Kuroo’s long limbs and he snickered when Kuroo stuck his bottom lip out. His fingers twisted another grape from the cluster when he saw Kuroo’s mouth open again, his eyes round and hopeful. With a roll of his eyes Daichi once again brought it to Kuroo’s lips. This time Kuroo surged forward, taking the grape completely into his mouth, and let his lips graze the tips of Daichi’s fingers.

Daichi gasped at the sensation and felt his cheeks grow hot. Kuroo however just continued chewing and placed his head back onto his lap. When he swallowed he smiled back up at Daichi.

“I’m good, that’s all I need. I may rest if that’s okay with you.”

“Sure,” Daichi replied with a quick nod. He continued to eat his grapes in silence as Kuroo shut his eyes, a relaxed smile playing on his lips as his breathing slowed. When Daichi was finished with the entire cluster, he glanced around and noticed all his books were out of reach, and Kuroo appeared to be fast asleep. A warm breeze tickled through the leaves above, the rustling soothing Daichi as he gazed around. He wished he could have more moments of such peace, especially with Kuroo by his side. Glancing down at the boy, he smiled when he noticed another leaf stuck in his hair that he had missed earlier. He threaded his fingers through the black mess, taking his time as he picked it clean. The action was calming, and soon Daichi’s vision grew heavy with sleep.

 

“Master Daichi!” A shrill voice cut through the pleasant afternoon air like the cool blade of a knife slicing a piece of fresh, moist cake. Daichi and Kuroo both jerked awake, nearly knocking heads as they lurched forward. With his heart racing in his chest, Daichi leapt to his feet and peered around the oak. His governess was wandering through the garden, her mouth twitched to the side in irritation. He glanced back at Kuroo who had also hopped up on his feet and was poised to run.

“You better go. I’m not sure if you’ll get in trouble for being here.”

“When will I see you again?”

“I don’t know, I’ll try to sneak down here tomorrow too. If you hang out by the gate, just make sure you’re not seen.”

Kuroo nodded vigorously and turned to leave, but stopped mid motion. Daichi could see him breathing heavily, and was about to ask what was wrong when Kuroo whirled back around, enveloped him in a tight hug.

“See you later, Sawamura,” He whispered and then shoved him away as he fled toward the gate. Daichi couldn’t see his face, but the back of his neck and ears looked a little flushed. With the way Daichi’s heart was pounding and the heat on his own cheeks, he wouldn’t have been surprised if he looked the same.

“Master _Daichi_!” His governess called again, and the bite in her voice woke Daichi from his stupor. He yelped and gathered his books up in a flurry.

“Coming!” He called as he stumbled under the weight as he picked his way over roots. She let out a heavy sigh as she watched him trot over to her.

“I was worried you had run off again.”

“No, I was just...really into my studying.”

One of her slender eyebrows cocked high above her sharp dark eyes, and he leaned back a little under the weight of her stare. Not wanting to press the issue, she shrugged and turned as she walked back to the castle, Daichi hovering behind her like a shadow. As he hobbled up the steps, a little thought kept whirling in the back of his mind. Besides his new friends, he did not have many people to talk to about personal things, since both of his parents passed away when he was four. He glanced up at his governess and wondered if he could talk to her.

“Um…” He started in a meek voice.

She blinked and looked down at him, the previous irritation faded from her face. “Is something wrong, Master Daichi?”

“I… just had a weird question for you.”

“Go ahead, you can always talk to me,” She said kindly, a smile spreading across her lips.

“So... I saw two people the other day, and one was feeding the other. Like, putting food in his mouth. Is that… normal?”

A devious giggle escaped his governess, and Daichi was shocked to hear such a youthful sound come out of the woman’s mouth. “They must have been lovers,” She said in a dreamy voice.

“What?!” He squawked and nearly dropped his books.

She covered her lips with her mouth as she giggled again. “Yes, Master Daichi. Unless it’s a mother to her child, typically only lovers feed each other.”

Daichi began to grow nervous, not expecting this sort of turn of events. “But-but would if they were friends. Yeah! _Really_ close friends.”

There was something strange in the way his governess was enjoying the conversation, completely opposite to his drifting into a puddle of nerves. She shook her head as she gazed pleasantly about her as if she was picturing lovely scenery and not the opulent tapestries hung in the castle foyer.

“No Master Daichi. Friends do not behave that way, only lovers. Or perhaps one of them is in love with the other, and the other hasn’t realized it yet or is simply accepting of it. Who knows? If you see them again, make sure you observe closely. I want to hear all about it!”

“Oh...ok.” Daichi still wasn’t sure what to think about it. He had noticed something different in the way Kuroo treated him, as opposed to his other friends. It was his assumption that Kuroo always felt funny about him being richer than he was, and the thought always made him more desperate to change his mind. Perhaps though it was something else entirely that made Kuroo treat him differently. Was it possible he _liked_ Daichi? Thoughts of love and romance had never even occurred to him before, he did not even know what it meant.

Unfortunately, he did not have many examples of love. He had heard tales of his parents being the model of what a couple should be, not because they never fought or were perfect human beings, but because of their gentleness toward one another and their insatiable sense of humor. The King and his wife got along well while they were alive, but she had died several years ago and Daichi had paid no attention to the relationship between the two prior. Neither of his uncles were involved in any romances to his knowledge, and he knew for a fact his governess was lacking in the areas of romance, which would explain her desperation to hear of anyone else’s.

For the rest of the day, Daichi could think of little else, wondering if Kuroo truly did think of him more than just a friend. Other thoughts swirled along with it, like if he should ask him about it and would it change how things are between them. The question that seemed to rise above the others, not relenting as he tried to shove it down with other thoughts, was if Daichi liked him too.

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Daichi, you must never be afraid to speak to me. You know this,” He spoke in a stern voice, but Daichi knew more than others how much kindness was behind his stone face and strong words.  
> He gulped down his nerves and nodded. “What I want this year...it’s a little different. If it can’t be done, I’ll understand. It’s not as easy as getting me a horse or a sword.”  
> Wakatoshi cocked his head as he regarded his nephew. “Then, can you tell me what it is, and then I’ll decide if it can be accomplished?”

It was a week prior Daichi’s eleventh birthday, and he sighed as he stared out his frosted window. He had always lamented his birthday coming in the winter, and wished it would have been in the summer instead so he could be outside in the warmth of the sun. He shivered and pulled his blanket around his shoulders when there was a knock at the door.

“Come in,” He called, and was surprised when his Uncle Wakatoshi entered.

“Your Majesty!” He cried as he scrambled to his feet and offered a messy bow.

“Relax, Daichi,” Wakatoshi chuckled as he strode into the room. Daichi had always admired his uncle, from his mighty stature to his unrelenting sense of honor. It was a lot to live up to, but that did not deter Daichi from wanting to be exactly like him. Even at the young age of nineteen, King Wakatoshi had already proven himself to be the most popular King in centuries. “It’s almost your birthday, I wanted to know what you wanted. A new horse? Or perhaps a new sword?”

Daichi opened his mouth to speak, but shut it as he glanced away from his impressive uncle. He knew exactly what he wanted, but the heaviness of such a request sparked nerves to bubble up in his stomach. He flinched when he felt his uncle’s fingers graze the bottom of his chin and lift his face up.

“Daichi, you must never be afraid to speak to me. You know this,” He spoke in a stern voice, but Daichi knew more than others how much kindness was behind his stone face and strong words.

He gulped down his nerves and nodded. “What I want this year...it’s a little different. If it can’t be done, I’ll understand. It’s not as easy as getting me a horse or a sword.”

Wakatoshi cocked his head as he regarded his nephew. “Then, can you tell me what it is, and then I’ll decide if it can be accomplished?”

“I have some friends, they live down in the city, but they’re orphans and homeless. It’s always been a struggle for them to find food and places to sleep, and they don’t like to beg either. I have taught them how to hunt and trap food in the forest like you taught me, but I don’t think it’s enough. I was thinking… I was hoping, maybe it would be possible to find them homes in the city. Maybe some people don’t have kids of their own and could take them on as apprentices. Then they would have a job, and a place to sleep!” He stopped when he realized his voice had grown loud with excitement and pulled back slightly, biting his lip as he waited for his uncle to speak.

“So, what you want for your birthday is for me to find these children places to live as apprentices?”

“Yes, or just a family. Actually, I don’t know if this is what they want, so I should ask them if that’s what they want, but _first_ I wanted to ask you if it was possible.”

Wakatoshi sighed as he ruffled his nephew’s hair. “Of course, it’s possible. I will inquire throughout the City and see what I can do. You know, Daichi, this does not have to be your birthday present. I would have done this anyways. So… is there anything you would like for _yourself_?”

Daichi flushed a little as he pursed his lips shyly. “I… could use a new sword, if that’s possible.”

Wakatoshi chuckled softly as he reached down to grab Daichi’s hand. He stretched it out and observed the length of his arm. After his mental calculations were done, he gave a nod and patted Daichi on the shoulder.

“I have to go. And I know it’s cold, but that doesn’t mean you have to stay cooped up indoors, Daichi. Wear your furs and boots.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” He said as he gave another slight bow as Wakatoshi left the room.

 

It was only a few days later the King returned to him while he was preoccupied with his studies by the fire of the library.

“Daichi, here is a list of families that are more than willing to take them in. As you said, there are plenty without children to take over their businesses, and liked the idea of passing on their knowledge. Even Hongo-san himself volunteered.”

“Hongo-san?! Wow, I bet Kuroo would like that. He’s really taken to archery.”

Wakatoshi cocked his head at his nephew singling that particular friend out, but said nothing as Daichi searched the list with interest. He glanced back up at Wakatoshi with his face shining with delight. “Thank you Uncle Wak-- Oh, I mean, thank you _Your Majesty_ ,” He finished awkwardly. “I wish I could tell them right now.”

Wakatoshi chuckled, “Go ahead. I’ll explain to your governess and have her put off the rest of your studies. You deserve it.”

“Thanks!” He cheered as he gripped the list in his hand and bolted for the door to the hallway.

Wakatoshi frowned after him as he said quickly, “Daichi, dress warmly.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!” His voice trailed loudly down the hallway, and Wakatoshi shook his head with a small smile lighting up his face.  

 

All wrapped up in his warm clothes with the list in his sack, he made his way through the castle gates toward the town. With the cold weather it was warmer for the boys to stay in town in one of the abandoned shacks, and hunting in the forest was almost impossible. Daichi had helped them set it up with some extra blankets and firewood so they wouldn’t freeze, and he paid one of his servant a little extra to stop by the shack to drop off some food, so they wouldn’t starve if Daichi couldn’t meet up with them. He greeted some of the towns people on his way through the market, skipping along the snow-covered paths until he took a turn down a darker alley. Before he had met Kuroo he would have never drifted down such a sinister looking place, but knowing it held some of the people he cared for most it seemed immensely less frightening.

He shuffled the last few steps to the splintered door and rapped his hand against the door with a particular cadence of beats. He waited as he danced in place, keeping his blood circulating in the cold. The door cracked open and he saw Yaku’s brown eyes blinking in the small opening. When he saw that it was Daichi he wrenched the door open and yanked him inside, slamming the door shut after him. Kuroo barely caught him before he fell to his feet.

“You okay?” Kuroo asked softly as he gripped his arms, and Daichi flinched back, his heart pounding in his chest. His frantic thoughts of Kuroo liking him more than a friend had never faded, though he had yet to figure out the truth of it. On the other end, however, it was nearly torture being around Kuroo sometimes with the way his heart thundered when they locked eyes, the searing heat prickling his skin when they touched, or in the addicting comfort of simply having him by his side. He did not know much on the matters of love, but he could safely say it wasn’t simple friendship between him and Kuroo.

“Yeah! I’m sorry, that scared me. What’s the matter, Yaku?” He asked as he turned to the shorter boy.

Yaku’s face was mostly covered by a scarf Daichi had given him, and he snuck his mouth out just enough to say, “Sorry about that… it’s too cold to leave it open too long.”

“Oh, I understand. Are you guys doing okay?”

“Yeah, we’re doing okay,” Kuroo answered as he gave Daichi a little push toward the fire, where Kenma and Kai were huddled underneath their thick blankets. When Daichi sat down next to Kenma, the slender boy blinked at him and shuffled a little closer until he was right next to him. He laid his head against Daichi’s arm, and Daichi kept his lips pinched shut before he uttered out a little “awwww”. His eyes flicked up at Kuroo who was settling on his other side, and they shared a warm smile.

Yaku flopped down next to Kuroo and the wall and rubbed his hands together in front of him. “So, Master Daichi, did you bring us something good today?”

“Yeah of course, I brought-- OH YEAH!!” He shouted with glee as the rest of the boys flinched in surprise. “Oh...sorry. Um, here’s the food, but I brought something else. So, I talked with my Uncle--”

“The King...you talked to the King, rich boy,” Kuroo teased as he gave him a playful nudge with his shoulder.

Daichi nudged back and cleared his throat as he pulled the list out of his bag. “I told him about you guys, how you have no one to look out for you, except each other, and asked if he could find families who might take you on as apprentices. That way you can learn a trade and earn a living! You won’t have to sleep on the floor or try to find food yourself, and you’ll have someone else looking out for you. Listen, if this isn’t what you guys want, that’s fine, nothing’s set in stone of course. But if you do, well… these are some options for you.”

The group of them were quiet as they listened, so many thoughts processing through their minds that none of them had even reached for the food.

Finally, Yaku leaned forward, his eyes on the sheet of paper. “So… you’re saying that we’ll have a home? Food, and clothes?”

Daichi nodded, “Yes! And the best part is they’re all right here in the City, so you won’t be sent off anywhere! We’ll all still get to see each other. I’ve looked through the list already, there are more options than there are any of you, so you can pick a good fit. Kenma, this family is nice, I’ve met them myself since they breed a lot of the livestock we purchase for the castle. I don’t know if you’re interested, but they’d be teaching you to care for the smaller animals, like pigs, goats and sheep. They’re not very loud either, so that should suit you… if you’d like.”

He glanced down at Kenma who was staring at the paper with wide eyes. He glanced up at Daichi, the amber glowing in the firelight. “I do like animals,” He said softly, and Daichi beamed at him.

He handed the paper to Yaku who was leaning so far over he nearly fell over trying to see the paper. “Yaku, the Naoi family are the best bakers in the City, and they only have one son to help out with the business. That would mean you could eat--”

“Bread every day!” Yaku finished, smiling from ear to ear as his eyes traveled around the page.

“What about me, Daichi? You pick out a family for me too?” Kai asked curiously.

Daichi laughed, “I’m not picking out your families, I’m only suggesting the ones I think would be a good fit. But since you asked, the blacksmith is on there too, and _he’s_ right next to the market, so it would be fun to be so close to everything. Him and his wife only have a daughter, and she’s not suited for the kind of work.”

“Oooooh a daughter,” Kai said with a smirk. “Sounds good.”

“Kai, you scoundrel! You better not cause any trouble for Master Daichi when he went through all this trouble,” admonished Yaku as he shuffled forward to look at the list with Kenma and Kai. Daichi giggled as he moved back, forgetting that Kuroo was right behind him. He flinched when he felt Kuroo against his back, but when he turned his head to say he was sorry, he saw that Kuroo hadn’t even noticed. He was strangely serious as he gazed into the fire, and the excitement Daichi had felt sputtered out like a dying fire.

“Kuroo?” He whispered, but Kuroo’s mind was too focused to hear him.  He reached his hand out and rested it on Kuroo’s knee, and that was enough to grab his attention as his eyes fell to his hand and then back up to Daichi.

“Oh, sorry, did you say something?”

“Just your name. Are you okay? You know nothing has to change if you don’t want it to.”

Kuroo shook his head as he smiled, though his eyes remained sad. “You can’t stop change. Just look at them, they’re ready and excited to find people. Even if I didn’t, I would be alone.”

“You won’t be alone,” Daichi said firmly, strengthening his grip on Kuroo’s knee. “You won’t ever be alone.”

Kuroo winced, biting his lip as he held back tears. He inhaled deeply as his eyes traveled over to the list in Kenma’s hands. “So, did you find one for me then?”

Daichi smiled at him then turned his gaze toward the comforting licks of fire crackling in front of them. “Yeah, if you’re interested. Hongo-san is the one who made your bow. He can be kind of stern and grumpy, but he’s a very good man and very close with the King. His house and workshop are not far from the castle gates and are also close to the woods, which would be good for us-- for _you_ , it would be good for you I mean. I go there with my Uncle quite frequently, actually, so I would still see you often, if you’d like that.” He stole a glance up at Kuroo, who smiled back at him. It wasn’t his teasing smirk, but something softer that sent a tingling sensation throughout Daichi’s whole body.

“Yeah,” Kuroo finally answered, the firelight making his eyes glitter as they bore into Daichi. “I think that sounds perfect. I certainly wouldn’t want to see you less.”

A strange atmosphere flooded over them. It was quiet and peaceful, yet filled with an unexplainable tension that Daichi couldn’t quite figure out. All he knew was how comfortable he felt with Kuroo as they smiled at each other. Without saying anything, their bodies leaned toward each other, drifting closer as they invaded each other’s space. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do. He wasn’t thinking at all in that moment as they came closer, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

“Ahem...uh, do you guys want us to leave?” Yaku said, as Kai sputtered into giggles. Both he and Kuroo flinched away and turned to the others with their eyes wide and their cheeks flushed bright red. Daichi nearly groaned when he saw Kenma had completely covered his eyes with his hands.

“No,” Kuroo finally sputtered, “We weren’t doing anything, we were just talking quietly about stuff. Dammit give me that paper. You guys hogging it all and then making _Master_ Daichi all uncomfortable.” He whipped the list out of Yaku’s hands and focused all his attention on it, not daring to look up at anyone.

Daichi kept quiet and bit his lip, glancing up at the others as they continued to giggle and make comments whispered under their breath. It was embarrassing being caught doing whatever they were about to do, but something else occurred to Daichi as he tapped Kenma and told him he could open his eyes. The way they were teasing Kuroo about their “different” relationship didn’t seem anything new. If anything, it seemed like they commonly teased him about it. If that was the case, maybe Kuroo really did have feelings for him, though from the powerful moment they just experienced, Daichi didn’t really think he had any doubt.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 7 chapters... I'm cutting it off at 7, lol


	5. Chapter 5

After a couple months of the harsh winter wind beating against the City of Shiratorizawa, the sun burst through the dull grey clouds and melted the snows covering the cold, barren earth. Daichi’s governess looked forward to the coming spring, but her thoughts were clouded with concern for her beloved charge. Master Daichi had taken up the oddest behavior as she watched him quietly from doorways, behind pillars, and through the trees of the garden. She never believed in spying, but it couldn’t be helped when she would wander in to check on his progress and find him whispering and giggling to a window or against a wall panel. She thought perhaps he has created an imaginary friend, but he was already eleven, and too old for that sort of behavior. Her confusion grew even deeper when she would reveal her presence, and Daichi would spin around with a flushed face. He would quickly change the subject and grab his notebook, shoving it in her face to show how far he had gotten.

One day she watched him study in the garden from an upper suite. It was a comfortable sitting room with an open balcony where she could keep an eye on him while was unaware. Daichi had been writing in a notebook on the other side of the oak where she could just barely see the outline of his body leaning against the trunk. She narrowed her eyes when she saw Daichi throw his books aside and crawl away. She could hardly make him out, but she could hear a peal of laughter float above the canopy of the budding trees.

“You wanted to see me?” A deep voice said behind her.

“Your Majesty!” She gasped as she gave a deep curtsy. “Forgive me, I was lost in my thoughts. I hope I wasn’t disturbing you.

“Not at all. I told you before that if you have any concerns for my nephew you should inform me immediately.” He walked across the room to join her, his face gazing out at the sun soaked garden.

“Yes, it is about Master Daichi...I hope I am doing the right thing in telling you, but he’s doing some strange things...”

“What is he doing?”

“Well, I hear him talking to himself and laughing, and when I enter the room he stops and acts as if he wasn’t. If I question him on it, he passes it off or changes the subject. His studies have been fine, but this strange behavior…” She stopped when she noticed the slightest of smiles pulling at the corner of the of the King’s thin lips.

“He’s not talking to himself...look just a bit harder,” He said as he pointed toward the gate. She squinted her eyes as she leaned forward. Daichi could just be seen by the bars of the Garden Gate to the forest. She could see the smile on his face and suddenly a hand that did not belong to Daichi shoved him gently against his shoulder.

She gasped, realizing the whole time that she thought they were alone there was someone else present. “Who is that?” She asked, moving her head from side to side to see if she could get a better view.

“It must be Kuroo,” The King answered.

“Who’s Kuroo? He’s never mentioned him before.”  
“Do you remember a couple months ago, when Daichi asked me to find homes for some orphan children? Kuroo is one of them, and I’ve seen him sneaking in and out of the castle ever since.”

“And he hasn’t been caught?!”

The King chuckled deeply, and the governess was amazed at the gentle amusement from the otherwise stern ruler. “He _has_ been caught a couple times, and thrown out. Doesn’t seem to dissuade him though. I would venture to say he and Daichi are best friends.”

“Best friends?” She whispered, a wave of emotion rising in her chest. She had grown to love the young master as if he was her own son, and to think of him finally having a friend to call his own was a very special thing. Suddenly she regretted how hard she had been pushing his studies, and wondered if she should give him more free time to play.

“You there! Get away from the gate! Go on, go home!” A harsh voice rang out across the garden. The shadow on the other side of the gate blurred out of sight, and Daichi shrank back under his oak, his lips pursed as he tried not to laugh. As the guard who had nearly caught Kuroo sauntered back to his post, Daichi settled back against the trunk and yanked his book back onto his lap with a sigh.

The governess glanced up at the King as he turned away.

“I don’t think you have anything to worry about. Loyal friendships are important, and ones made in the dawning of our youth can last a lifetime.”

“Yes, thank you, Your Majesty!” She said as she curtsied, and with a nod he swept out of the room to return to his duties. Daichi’s governess took one last look out the window and smiled, her soul feeling much lighter knowing her charge was not going crazy.

 

Daichi gave his fire one last prod before sneaking under the covers one night. Roar Roar was already fast asleep on the rug in front of the fading firelight, soaking up as much warmth as he could while he dreamed. Daichi squirmed amid the blankets as he tried to get comfortable when there was a noise at his window. He froze, wondering if perhaps it was a swirl of wind carrying a leaf and tossing it against the pane. Another noise, but this time louder, and definitely not a leaf. It was enough to stir Roar Roar from his sleep, and he lifted his giant head as he sniffed the air, a growl rumbling in his throat. Cautiously, Daichi sat up in bed, his hand feeling around his nightstand to grip onto his knife. He nearly curled his fingers around the hilt when his window burst open and a heap of limbs and messy hair fell out of it, spilling onto his bed.

“Kuroo!” Daichi whispered loudly as he surged forward, giving a punch to the first knobby shoulder he could locate in the dim light.

“Ow! What was that for?” Kuroo pouted as he tried to lift himself up on his elbows.

Daichi merely glared at him. “You scared me! You’ve never come this late before. Is something wrong?”

“Nah, Hongo-san snores too loud and I needed to get some sleep.”

Daichi rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t stop the smile from forming on his lips as he shuffled over to the window. He peered out and looked down at the side of the wall. “How did you get up here?”

“It wasn’t that hard.”

Daichi gave a little huff as he shut the window against the cool night air. “Can’t you be more careful? You’re gonna get in big trouble if you get caught again,” He scolded as he plopped his body back down and laid his head on his pillow.

Kuroo crawled up next to him, setting his head on the pillow next to him as he stared at him with his eyes of molten gold. “You want me to stop coming to see you?” He asked, his face looking sad.

Daichi winced as he yanked the covers back up and threw them over him and Kuroo. “Of course I still want you to come, just...just be more careful, okay?”

Kuroo beamed at him but said nothing, giving a slight nod. Daichi returned the smile, his eyes looking up at the mess of hair spilling across the pillow and falling over Kuroo’s one eye. While under the care of Hongo-san, Kuroo had become progressively cleaner, though an occasional leaf would still find its way into his hair. Daichi reached up and threaded his fingers through, gleaning it until it was leaf free. Kuroo shut his eyes as he enjoyed the attention.

“How are the others?”

“Good… Kai is beefing up with the physical work he’s doing, and he’s getting quite popular with the girls wandering around the market,” Kuroo giggled. “Yaku’s popular too, but only with the old women who come into the bakery. They think he’s so cute with his brown eyes and pretty auburn hair. ‘Like a little cherub!’” He finished in a mock old woman voice, and Daichi covered his mouth to stifle the laughter. “Kenma’s doing better, I like the family he’s with. They’re patient with him and kind… I think he’s slowly coming out of his shell. He loves the animals, especially the baby goats.”

“Really? I would have thought they’d be too wild for him.”

“I know, right? When I asked him why he just shrugged and said that he liked the way they’d jump really high and then run into each other. It made him laugh.”

Daichi chuckled, “Okay, I can see that. And you? Are you getting along with Hongo-san?”

Kuroo sighed, “Yeah, we are. He kicks my ass a lot when I smart mouth him, but I do think he likes me. I like learning how to make things, and he’s so amazing at it. One day he even took me out to practice archery! He claimed it was to test out the bows he made, but he was giving me a lot of advice too. Maybe soon I’ll be better than you,” Kuroo teased as his grin crept closer to Daichi. The proximity of their faces sent Daichi’s heart into a frenzy, and to save himself he snuck his hand up and placed it on Kuroo’s face.

“Keep dreaming, Kuroo. You know you’ll never be as good as me.”

Kuroo cocked his head slightly so he could see between Daichi’s fingers, and Daichi could feel the grin spread wider against his palm. Suddenly something hot and wet slicked across it, and he recoiled his hand in disgust.

“Ewww, gross!” He groaned as he wiped his hand on the blanket, while Kuroo giggled. Daichi was about to turn back to him when Kuroo’s arm flopped across his chest, and his long, lean body snuggled closer to Daichi. Instead of keeping his head on the pillow, Kuroo shuffled it closer until it was resting on top of Daichi’s chest. His nest of black hair tickled Daichi’s face, and as he reluctantly wrapped his arm around Kuroo’s shoulders, he prayed Kuroo couldn’t hear the thundering of his heart.

Kuroo could hear it, and it matched his own beat for beat.

 

Despite the racing of their hearts, both young boys drifted off into a deep sleep. They were not even roused when the door to Daichi’s room opened quietly in the early hours of the pale, misty morning. King Wakatoshi had entered to wake his nephew to go hunting as they had planned the day before, but stared down perplexed at two boys instead of one. Daichi was sprawled out with one leg hanging off the bed, his arms sticking out to both sides. Another young boy laid face down with his head stuck between two pillows, pinning down one of Daichi’s arms and had half his body laying on top of his nephew. He chuckled softly as he reached out to ruffle Daichi’s hair. He moved out of the room quietly, not making a sound as he shut the door behind him. His steward was waiting for him out in the hallway.

“Please inform Daichi’s governess to switch his schedule around with tomorrow’s. He seems too tired to hunt this morning, so we will postpone it a day. Make sure she lets him sleep in.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

 


	6. Chapter 6

The noises of the forest rang out in the warmth of the afternoon like a pleasant symphony. Kuroo would have been charmed by nature’s musical composition and the lush scenery surrounding him, had he been lost. He hoisted his sack with his equipment further up his aching shoulder as he stepped along the path he’d been walking for nearly an hour. His eyes flicked to a prickly bush to his right, an interesting cluster of rocks to his left and sighed. He had seen them before; he was going in circles. The network of paths within the forest were so complicated he couldn’t even remember which way he turned right or left last.

His throat felt parched and sweat was trickling down from his hairline and down his skin. He trudged over to a stump and sat down, allowing the sack to slip from his shoulder and clatter to the ground. He unhooked his water skin from his belt and took a few sips. He knew better than to guzzle it down, there was no telling how long he’ll be stuck in the woods until he finds a way out or someone else finds him first.

As if a guardian angel had seen his troublesome situation, he heard hoofbeats approaching quickly. He screwed the top back onto his skin and stood up. Around the corner came a small buck skinned horse prancing along the path. On his back was a young rider with nobility etched across him from his posture to his expression, his cheeks flushed as the wind skimmed across his skin. For a boy of only eleven, Kuroo couldn’t help but be astounded by his handsome features, and he was stunned silent.

“Kuroo!” Daichi shouted with a grin when he spotted him and urged his horse forward toward him.

His voice was able to crack the spell that had taken hold of Kuroo, and he shook his head as he frantically tried to think of a response. “Sawamura! ...Hi.”

Daichi laughed as he stopped is horse next to him. “Hi! What are you doing all the way out here?”

“Getting lost, can’t you tell?” Kuroo joked as he scratched the back of his head. “Seriously though, old man Hongo-san sent me out here to collect a specific piece of wood, a _rare_ piece of wood. While looking for it I got turned around and not only have I not found it, but I have no idea where I am.”

Daichi pursed his lips, but Kuroo could tell he was trying not to laugh. “Well, hop on, I’ll help you find it.”

Kuroo’s eyes widened as he looked the horse up and down. “You want me to get on that?!”

“Yes! It’ll be fine, just sit behind me, I’ll do all the work.”

Kuroo was about to protest, but Daichi reached his hand out toward him with a smile of confidence. Kuroo felt his resolve crumbling, and at the thought of being nestled against Daichi’s back, he grabbed his sack and slung it over his shoulder. Gripping tight to Daichi’s hand he leapt up behind him, squirming around on the horse’s slick back as he made himself as comfortable as he could.

“You alright?” Daichi snickered over his shoulder.

“Yeah, I’m okay, I just don’t know what to do.”

“Just hold onto me, don’t kick with your legs, and I’ll handle everything!”

Kuroo nodded nervously as he wrapped his arms around Daichi’s waist. Daichi gave the horse a nudge and it lurched forward, causing Kuroo to yelp and tighten his grip.

“Don’t be so nervous, the horse will pick up on it.”

“What...is it psychic?”

“No, it’s just not an idiot. That rock over there could tell that you’re nervous.” Daichi released the reins with his left hand and placed it over Kuroo’s. The warmth seeped into his skin, and though it did little to slow down his heart rate, it calmed Kuroo’s nerves. He took a deep breath and straightened up, gazing about as he enjoyed the view from up higher. It was pleasant to be spending such a pretty day in the forest alone with Daichi, he still couldn’t believe his luck.

“Do you know where we are?” Kuroo asked, knowing how deep in the forest they were.

“Of course I do.”

“Do you ever get lost?”

“Hmm, no, I haven’t lost my way in years.”

“How is that possible?! The forest is a labyrinth!”

Daichi laughed, “It is not. If you spend more time in the forest, you’ll know it like the back of your hand. Especially if Hongo-san keeps sending you out to find more rare woods.”

Kuroo chuckled, “I’d probably sooner die of starvation after getting lost than actually learn my way around this place.”

“Don’t say that, Kuroo,” Daichi said seriously. “I hope you wouldn’t give up on life so easily.”

Hearing the slight fear in Daichi’s voice as he thought about the possibility of Kuroo dying sent chills down Kuroo’s spine.

“Don’t worry, I won’t,” He whispered, and he could just see the edge of Daichi’s mouth pick back up into a small smile. Kuroo let his eyes wander a bit more from his position, watching the sun glint off Daichi’s soft black hair, the curve of his neck, the firmness of his jaw. He noticed the last bit with surprise. Daichi was still young, but he seemed to be growing up fast, losing a lot of his chubbiness and replacing it with muscle due to his training.

Kuroo felt his cheeks growing warm and jerked his face toward the forest, trying to focus on the whole reason he was there in the first place. As they rode around a bend in the trail, Kuroo stiffened as his eyes laid on a particular tree.

“There it is!” He cheered.

“Which one?”

“That one, the tall thin one with the smooth bark.”

Daichi urged his horse forward, veering slightly off the path as they neared the tree. He halted and Kuroo slid off awkwardly. Slipping his bag off his shoulder he set to work, picking out his saw blades and focused purely on his task. Daichi moved his horse away and tied the reins to a branch so he wouldn’t wander off. He moved back toward Kuroo with the intent to rejoin him, but stopped underneath the shade of a taller tree and watched his friend work.

It had been half a year since Kuroo had joined Hongo-san as his apprentice, and already he seemed like an expert as he worked the blades and handled each strip of wood like a potential work of art. Daichi watched with fascination as his blossoming muscles flexed under his shirt, no hesitation in his actions as he picked the tree apart. His focus did not waver until most of the tree was cut up into slender pieces, stacked up in a neat pile as Kuroo worked on tying them up.

It was only when the pieces were secured that Kuroo turned his attention back on Daichi. He was leaning against a tree as stared back at him, his eyes rich with warmth.

“Oh, I’m sorry you had to wait on me.”

Daichi’s smile grew wider as he shook his head. “Nonsense, it was interesting watching you work.” He began to move closer to him, bending over to help him gather up his tools.

“It’s good for a man to work hard… you should try it sometime _rich boy_ ,” He leered up at him with a devilish smirk on his face.

Daichi gasped and kicked his foot out to shove Kuroo’s shoulder playfully. “I work hard every day!”

“Oh yeah?” Kuroo teased as he grabbed Daichi’s foot and yanked, dropping him onto the leaf covered ground with a grunt. It did not take him long to retaliate as he surged forward, shoving Kuroo backwards and grabbing a handful of leaves to stuff down his shirt. Their laughter ricocheted off the trees as they wrestled, leaves erupting into the air as they degenerated into a flurry of limbs and dirt as they each flipped the other one over. At last Kuroo’s long limbs granted him success, and he was able to pin Daichi underneath him as he squirmed to no avail.

“Oh ho? Looks like I win this round,” He chuckled, but he froze as Daichi stopped squirming and stared back up at him. They were so close Kuroo could feel his hot breath puffing up against his skin as Daichi caught his breath. His eyes were bright as they locked onto him, his lips parted just enough as the air passed between them. The world around them seemed to shift, and yet everything seemed clear.

A smirk crept on Kuroo’s face as every muscle in his body was screaming that this was his moment. He dropped quickly, pressing his lips hard against Daichi’s as he squeezed his eyes shut. Daichi gave a light gasp, but Kuroo kept his eyes closed and didn’t pull back. If Daichi disliked it, he hoped he would forgive him later. He was thrilled with their lips touching, but had no idea what to do next. He tried moving them around, and it felt wet and messy and strangely wonderful. The best part of the whole situation was that Daichi didn’t push him away.

Testing the waters, he released Daichi’s arms and brought his hands up to nestle the sides of his face. He nearly squealed with delight when Daichi wrapped his arms around his back, one hand sneaking up to grip into his hair. The heat from their mouths pulsed through their bodies, and Kuroo shivered feeling Daichi’s breath against his skin.

With his excitement, his boldness began to emerge. He pressed his mouth down even harder, and felt an abrupt pain from their teeth knocking together with a loud _clack_. They both jerked away in pain, holding their mouths.

“Ahhhh that hurt!” Kuroo cried as he his hands covered his face dramatically.

Daichi winced as he ran his tongue around his mouth. “I still have my teeth, right? You didn’t knock them out?” He opened his lips wide with his teeth clenched, and Kuroo looked them over carefully and nodded.

“They look good...mine?” He mirrored Daichi’s face and Daichi giggled as he glanced over his toothy grin.

“Yeah, you’re fine.”

As Kuroo closed his mouth, he looked sheepishly down at Daichi. “Sorry...I’ve never done that before.”

Daichi smiled and hunched his shoulders shyly. “Neither have I.”

“Guess I need more practice, huh?”

Daichi frowned and grabbed the front of Kuroo’s shirt, tugging him down slightly. “Better not practice on anyone but me.”

“Oh, jealous? Don’t worry.” He lowered his face, so it was just hovering above Daichi’s. “My lips belong only to you.”

Daichi snorted, “That was cheesy.”

“Of course it was! Love is cheesy.”

“Love?”

“Oh...yeah, well.... I really like you, Sawamura.”

“Daichi.”

“Huh?”

“Call me, Daichi, and not with the title. Just Daichi.”

“Ok… I like you, Daichi.”

“I like you too, K--” Daichi cocked his head as he considered how he should finish.

Kuroo shrugged, “You can call me Tetsurou if you want, but it is a little longer.”

“Tetsu?” Kuroo’s face flushed bright red at hearing his name spoken so intimately, and Daichi laughed. “Tetsu…” He whispered again.

“Stop that!”

“Tetsuuuu--” Daichi giggled until Kuroo cut him off by taking control of his lips with his own, this time keeping the kisses simpler and not so rough. Daichi happily wrapped his arms around him and pulled him closer, delighting in every sensation as they experimented with their lips and the movement of their hands clutching onto each other.

Soon Kuroo pulled back and looked toward the west, squinting at the golden rays pouring through the trees. He sighed and shook his head, “I don’t wanna stop, but if I don’t get back soon, Hongo-san is gonna murder me.”

Daichi laughed as he curled his fingers through Kuroo’s hair. Kuroo glanced back down at him, suddenly hypnotized by the beauty of Daichi’s face. Daichi giggled and leaned up, giving him one last peck before shoving him off his body.

“We better get moving then.” They finished gathering Kuroo’s tools and collection of wood and secured them to the horse’s saddle. With the reins grasped in one of Daichi’s hands, they walked the horse back down the path toward the edge of the forest, his other hand clasped tightly in Kuroo’s, never wanting to part.

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prepare to cry your eyes out... I know I did

The next several months passed in a blur while Daichi and Kuroo grew even closer in their friendship and discussed the new aspect of their relationship. Daichi had read a few of the romance novels his governess had picked through in the library, and they seemed completely different from what he and Kuroo had. Perhaps it was because he was young, but all he knew was that he wanted to be with Kuroo forever. Whenever they were apart, he felt an itch at the back of his mind, wondering what Kuroo was doing and if he was thinking of him. When they were together, it was as if the world had been off kilter and then suddenly shifted into place and everything was as it should be. If only they had more time together, but it seemed often that Kuroo was caught sneaking past the castle gates and thrown out before Daichi could find him. More determined than ever, he grew bolder with his tactics, scaling walls and “borrowing” servant’s uniforms to blend into the castle staff as he weaved through their secret passages. Daichi wished he could be as clever and slip out to see Kuroo instead, but his governess was sharp eyed and had the ears of a bat. Still, they found ways of spending time together, and in the dark of night when Daichi would feel Kuroo’s shivering body slide under the covers next to him, he’d sigh happily and open his arms to envelop the boy he grew to love more and more every day.

As the crescendo of pleasant days for Daichi and Kuroo carried on into winter and past Daichi’s twelfth birthday, a darkness formed on the horizon and steadily drifted toward them. There were rumors flying everywhere about the tragedy of Fukurodani and how it had broken the King’s heart. All the clues lead to Aoba Johsai, their neighboring Kingdom, whose relationship with Shiratorizawa had always been tenuous. When King Wakatoshi reached out to them to provide an explanation, King Oikawa ignored him, and in his fury the King declared war.

It was with many tears Daichi bid his uncle farewell from the steps of the castle. The King bent forward and wiped his damp cheeks with his thumb and tipped his chin up.

“Daichi, you remember what I told you? We must always do our duty, and serve the Kingdom above everything else. No matter what happens, will you help Satori protect the people in my absence?”

Daichi sniffed and nodded, gulping down another onslaught of tears. “Yes, Your Majesty. I will make you proud. I promise!”

A small smile played on the King’s lips as he ran his hands through Daichi’s short black hair. “Be safe. I love you.”

“I love you, too… Uncle Wakatoshi,” He finished the last in a whisper, and it caused the King’s smile to widen slightly. He forced himself away from his precious nephew and walked down the steps of the castle, not knowing if he would live to walk back up them again.

The King took with him half of the Shiratorizawa army, and left behind the majority of the Royal Guard to protect his younger brother Satori as he stepped up to rule the Kingdom in his stead. He had been residing in Nohebi as he finished his education when the King had declared war, and did not arrive to the City until the day after the King left. He was well received by the Royal Guard, since he had been trained by their side before he left for Nohebi and was good friends with most of its members. Daichi, on the other hand, never had the best relationship with Satori and was always a little timid in his presence. He was not as honest as Wakatoshi, though Daichi could tell under the surface that Satori did not love him. He never knew the reason, and had little time to find out when the very day after Satori’s arrival he and his governess were summoned to the throne room.

“It is high time you began your true education as a young man, Daichi,” Satori said in a bored voice as he stared down at them through his heavy-lidded eyes. “Tomorrow you will be sent to Karasuno to join the young knights there for your training.”

“Karasuno?” His governess gasped as Daichi stared at the prince in shock. “That’s so far, it’s deep in the countryside at the other end of the Kingdom! Could he perhaps train in Dateko, Your Majesty?”

“No, he may not. And you don’t need to worry about him any longer. You will no longer be his governess, he’s too old for that. You will be well compensated for your time, and I’ll arrange a carriage to take you wherever you wish to live out the rest of your life.”

Daichi’s governess stared at him in disbelief. Her fingers dug into the front of her dress as she tried to catch her breath. She understood Daichi had to pursue a different education now that he was growing older, but she never thought she would be cut off from him completely. Ever since the death of his mother, she had taken care of him like he was her own child. And now she was being forced to let go of him, perhaps forever.

Daichi felt like a rock had been tied to his feet and he had been thrown in the cold ocean waves, sinking until the pressure had removed every bubble of air from his body. He would leave his home, his governess, his friends… Kuroo. A searing pain wrenched through his body as he struggled for breath. “Your Majesty,” He croaked out through the tears, “Please, is there any way I can stay here?”

“My decision is final. It’s time to grow up, my dear nephew.”

“May I go into the town and say my goodbyes?”

“Who on earth would you have in the town to say goodbye to?”

“My friends…”

The prince rolled his eyes. “ _Commoners?_ The sooner you’re rid of them the better. You may not leave the castle gates. Immediately go and pack your belongings and go to bed. You have a long journey and you’ll leave at dawn.”

The soldiers next to them moved forward, signaling it was time for them to leave the throne room. His governess gripped onto Daichi’s shoulders and turned him away, neither looking back at the Prince as they swept out of the room. When they reached Daichi’s bedroom he crumbled onto the floor as he wept. His governess sobbed as well as she knelt beside him, wrapping her arms around him for the last time.

“Shhh, shhh. It will be okay, Master Daichi. You need to be strong.”

“Why does he have to take me away from everything? _Everyone?_ Even you are being sent away! And... Tetsu.” A large sob grabbed hold of him and she rubbed his back soothingly.

“Who’s Tetsu, dear?”

“Kuroo Tetsurou, my best friend.”

“Oh, little Kuroo.”

Daichi blinked and looked up at her. “You know about him?”

She laughed through her tears as she ran her hand through his hair. “Yes, dear, I’ve seen him sneaking around.”

“I can’t leave without seeing him! What am I going to do?”

“He lives with Hongo-san, right? I’ll run up to the aviary and see if I can send him a quick message. While I’m gone try to pack up your things. When I return we’ll go down to the garden and hide by the gate, and see if he’ll come.”

Daichi nodded vigorously as he wiped his face on his sleeves. Immediately he hoisted himself up to his feet and began packing his things. His governess left him as she rushed up to the upper tower where the messenger birds were kept. She greeted the keeper and scrawled out an urgent message for Hongo-san. She watched as the keeper sent the bird off into the sky, and she closed her eyes and whispered a prayer that it would reach Hongo-san in time.

She waited with Daichi wrapped up in their cloaks and scarves behind the trunk of his oak tree, Daichi keeping an eye on the gate as she watched everywhere else for one of the Prince’s guards. She was determined to let her charge have these last precious moments with his friend, and she was prepared to tackle a knight if he tried to keep him from it.

Soon there was the sound of scrambling footsteps approaching from outside of the gate, and they turned to see Kuroo nearly run straight into the gate as his breath puffed out into the chilled air. Daichi rushed over and helped him slip through the bars, and as soon as he was free he threw his arms around Daichi, holding him close as Daichi sobbed into his chest.

He glanced over at the governess and flinched in surprise, but she placed a finger to her lips with a smile. She walked over and ushered them closer to the protection of the oak. She whispered to them both, “I’ll go wait over there for you. If a soldier comes along, I’ll try and distract him so you both can hide.” She ran a hand over both their heads, nearly getting her fingers caught in Kuroo’s mess, and wandered away to give them their privacy.

“It’s true then? He’s sending you away? _Where?!_ ”

Daichi rubbed his face on the front of his shirt and lifted it, the sight of his warm brown eyes blotched red with tears breaking Kuroo’s heart. “Karasuno. It’s at the other end of the Kingdom. It’s so far, Kuroo, and I’ll be there for _years_. What am I gonna do?”

“I’ll go with you,” He breathed, cradling his face with his hands.

“You’re Hongo-san’s apprentice, you can’t just leave.”

“He knows what you mean to me, he’ll understand.”

“You can’t come with me, I’m being escorted by the Prince’s guards, and I doubt they’ll allow you to hitch a ride.”

“Then I’ll follow after! I’m not going to give up, Daichi.” He leaned forward, pressing his lips against Daichi’s and tasting the salty tears that had not had a chance to dry. Daichi leaned into the kiss, clutching onto Kuroo as if he couldn’t get enough of him.

“Tetsu,” Daichi whispered against his skin. “Would if you can’t come to me? What will we do?”

“Then let’s make a pact. No matter where we are, or who we’re with, we’ll always love each other. I swear it, Daichi… do you?”

Without hesitation Daichi nodded his head, his face scrunching as fresh tears welled up in his eyes. It was enough for Kuroo’s own eyes to grow hot and wet. He glanced up into the barren oak stretched out above them as his breath shuddered. His eyes traveled down the length of the trunk when an idea occurred to him. He fished around inside of his cloak and pulled out a knife.

“Come here,” He said as he wiped a stray tear from his face and turned Daichi around. He bit his lip as he dug the blade into the bark and began to chip away at the nearly frozen wood.

“What are you doing?” Daichi gasped, his hands still clutching at Kuroo.

“This is a sign, proof of my love for you will always be etched in this tree. I just wish it wasn’t so hard.” He was struggling to get their initials right when he felt Daichi’s hand slide over his. He paused as Daichi slid in front of him, leaning back against him as he helped guide the blade into the wood. With his assistance, Kuroo only needed one hand on the knife. The other he wrapped around Daichi and held him tight. When they were finished, the letters read KT & SD in a choppy formation.

“Hmm, not yet,” Kuroo said as he placed the blade just above the KT and looped the blade through the tree with a flourish. When he was done there was a messy heart around both initials, and Daichi smiled as it finally looked complete.

“It’s perfect,” He whispered, feeling like He and Kuroo had left a little piece of their souls embedded in the tree, to live together in case they never met again.

Kuroo replaced the knife on his belt as Daichi swiped his hand across the letters, wiping away spare bits of dust.

“You should go inside, Madame, it’s supposed to snow soon and the temperature’s dropping,” they heard a stern voice echo throughout the garden.

“Oh, Sir, please let me stay out for a few more minutes. This is my last night here, and I’d like to enjoy the garden one last time,” She said loudly, a warning to them that they had no time left.

“For a few more minutes, then I’ll be back to escort you inside.”

“Oh, thank you, Sir,” She said politely, through gritted teeth.

“Daichi,” Kuroo whispered as he turned him around one last time. He pinned him against the tree and kissed him hard. Daichi reached his arms around his neck, committing to memory the taste of his lips, the smell of his skin, the feathery waves of hair that tickled his fingers. He wanted to keep every piece of Kuroo locked away in his heart. As they shared their last kiss, Daichi said a prayer to the gods that they would meet again, and maybe one day will never again have to be apart.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're feeling sad, go ahead and read KTMBC!! (read it here! http://archiveofourown.org/works/12627804/chapters/28772562) It gets better! This concludes the whole prequel focusing on Kuroo and Daichi's blossoming relationship, and I hope you loved it. I'm going to continue adding more stories, like with Bokuto and Semi as well as a few others, so don't forget to check back, subscribe to the series or follow me on tumblr!!

**Author's Note:**

> It's funny, I thought when I ended Merry Band of Cats I'd wanna space myself out from it, but no I still can't get enough of it, lol. I hope you all liked it, as always I appreciate comments :)


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